Device for removing partial dentures and bridges



v y 23, 1968 c. F. RASCH 3,393,451

DEVICE FOR REMOVING PARTIAL DENTURES AND BRIDGES Filed Oct. 22, 1965 7 FI6013. M i/( 720 m'iim-r. 1 "'iiihu "Him-W Mil EU T02 CARL. F RAscH Eon A20 D. OER/AM A 770EMEY 3,393,451 DEVICE FOR REMOVING PARTIAL DENTURES AND BRIDGES I Carl F. Rasch, 1830 E. Romneya Drive, Anaheim, Calif. 928.05- Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,944 v 1 Claim. (Cl. 32-40) Human dental problems sometimes require the removal of one-natural tooth or several adjacent natural teeth. Such removal results in difliculty of proper mastication, and when the removed natural teeth are at the front of the dental arch, the absence of such teeth is detrimental to the appearance. Accordingly, substitute devices have been designed therefor. These substitute devices resemble the removed teeth. However, in order to maintain the substitute devices in place, they must be secured to adjacent dental structure. Usually they are secured by embracing adjacent, natural teeth.

It is clear that such securement of the substitute devices must be rigid and strong so as to permit them to be fully used in mastication. Thus, firm, strong installation is desirable. However, natural teeth are not rigidly anchored, so that there is some relative movement therebetween during normal chewing processes. Furthermore, such substitute device must occasionally be removed for the cleaning thereof, and for the cleaning of the adjacent gum and tooth surfaces. Therefore, the structure which retains the substitute device in place must be resilient, yet removable. With such a resilient, firm grasp on the adjoining teeth, removability of such substitute device is often diflicult.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device to aid in the removal of partial dentures and bridges, which device aids in such removal without dam age to the partial dentures or bridges and without damage to the adjacent natural portions of the mouth.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for removing partial dentures and bridges which is of such shape that it can conveniently engage upon portions of a partial denture or bridge 50 as to grasp the partial denture or bridge for easy removal without distortion thereof and without undue engagement with the mouth.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for removing partial dentures and bridges which is economic to manufacture, provides a long trouble-free life and is easy to use so that the removal of such devices can readily be accomplished.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following portion of this specification, the claim and the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the device for removing partial dentures and bridges in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

As an aid to understanding this invention it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is related to a device'for removing partial dentures and' bridges. The; device comprises an elongated bar having afsubstantially rectangular cross section. The widthwise' dimension of the baris substantially greater than the thickness thereof.

The operati've'erid ofthe bar is completed with a hemicylindrical surface which joins tangent to the short 'edge walls. A slot is formed across the diameter 'of the hemicyclindrical end, which slot opens on the hemicylindrical surface. The slot is sufficiently wide in the thickness direction of the bar'to permit'it to engage over clasps on partial dentures and bridges. The 'body. of the baris of suflicient size as to make it easily manually manipulatabe,"

and in use the hemicyliridricalv end of the bar is placed inthe mouth and the slot is used to engage" over the clasp. Force in the direction'for' removal of the partial denture or bridge urges the "clasp olfof the adjacent tooth; Thus, the partial denture'or bridge is removed. The same end of the device can be used for aid in inserting such apartial denture or bridge by engaging upon the clasp to force'it into the inserted position. The material of the device is preferably of such hardness as to retain strength in the device, but still of insufiicient'hardness tocause scratching of the partialdenture or bridge or scratching of the adjacent natural teeth.

This invention will be understood in greater detail by reference to the following portion of the specification wherein the drawings are described. Referring now specifically to the figures of the drawing, the device for removing partial dentures and bridges is indicated generally at 10. The device 10 has a manually operable body 12 and an operative end 14. The device 10 is of unitary construction and is of the same material throughout. The material is preferably such that the device 10 can be inexpensively manufactured. Accordingly, certain polymer composition materials suitable for injection molding are suitable for the device 10. The material should be rigid and tough enough in the finished device so as to permit the device 10 to hold its shape and not wear away at the edges. However, the material should be soft enough so that it is softer than the partial denture and bridges for which it is applicable and softer than natural teeth. Thus, the device 10 cannot scratch or damage the partial dentures, bridges or teeth.

The body 12 is preferably rectangular in section. It is relatively long, as seen in the left to right dimension in FIGS. 2 and 3. Furthermore, its sides 16 and 18 are considerably wider than its edges 20 and 22. While the body 12 is preferably rectangular in cross section, its edges need not be sharp but can be slightly rounded for comfortable manual engagement. End 24 can be of any convenient shape, such as the half octagon shown or can be hemicylindrical to match the operative end 14, if desired. Furthermore, end 24 can be identical to the operative end 14 should a double ended device 10 be preferred or desired.

Referring now to the operative end 14, the operative end is externally bounded by sides 16 and 18 and by hemicylindrical surfaces 26 and 28. The hemicylindrical surfaces 26 and 28 are formed about an axis at right angles to the sides 16 and 18. The hemicylindrical surfaces are tangent to the edges 20 and 2 2. Notch 30 is formed from the end of operative end 14 to the diameter of the hemicylindrical surfaces. Thus, hemicylinders are formed on the end of body 12 and comprise the operative end 14. Notch 30 is preferably approximately 5 of an inch in dimension in a direction along the axis of the hemicylinder. This dimension is large enough to grasp the clasps upon partial dentures and bridges. Furthermore, the thickness of the hemicylinders, in a direction along their axis, is preferably such that each is approximately equal to the dimension of the notch 30.

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and bridges is a manual device, in use its body 12 is manually engaged. Suchpartial dentures and bridges comprise tooth simulating units which are positioned in a space where natural 'teeth have previously beenrernoved.

In order to maintain these too'thsimulating units in place clasps are provided thereon. These clasps'comprise small resilient bands which are positioned to reach part way around the "adjacentlna't'ural teeth and resiliently em bra'cefthem. when thisfresilient embrace is firrn, the partial "denture or bridge iSdifii-cult to remove, However,

when the ernbraceis mammal denture or bridge is, firmlyplacedi, which is desirable duringmastication. use, the device 10'; is' positionedwith 'its sides generally" hor'iz'ont'al,"or at" right angles with respect to 'the teeth and the operative end 14' is positioned at one of the bands'The device' 10 is positioned so that the band is engaged within a notch 30 Tliereupon manual force, at right angles to the sides, urges the clasp with respect to the natural to 0th. F0r an upper partial, downward force moves the claspdownward and thus moves the partial in the removal direction. The device, 10 is alternatively inser-ted over the clasp at each end of the partial and thus removes the partial. It can be similarly used for the removal of lower partial dentures and bridges. It can simi larly be used for the installation of partial dentures and bridges. After such are manually moved intoplace as far as is convenient, the device 10 can be engaged against the or such insertionfeithr end This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, it is clear that lit is susceptible to numerous modifications and embodiments Within the scope of this invention and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordinglyg'the scope of this inventionjs' defined by the scope of the .following claim, 5,;

I l i i x 4 ,3. I U I v 1 1. A device for'u's'e'in-the removal of; partial dentures which comprises: i g,

an elongated, flafbody of a erial which holds its shape, said body having arectilinear cross section, said boby havingflat sides connectedbygdges; said body 'liaving 'a l-ier'nic'ylind'rical ndin'which the curved surface of saidxend'extends-betweensaid edges;' ;1 i v1 said bod-y having a notch in said-hemicylindrical end; said "notch extending from said hemicy-lindrical end between and parallel to said sides and having'a bot tom connecting said edgesf said notch and 'the portions'iof said sides-definingsaid notch each being abo ut t l 1ick.

References Cited l UNITED srATEs PATENT$" LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner."

C. R. WENTZEL, Assistant Exmninelz. r 

